My story

I always said people who run marathons were idiots (apologies marathon runners amongst you) that it wasn’t natural to run 26 miles and that it will all end in sore feet, nipples and arthritic knees.

Well this year I am running a marathon.

Why?

Just over a year ago my friends' duaghter, Esme, who had been ill for a while with terrible fevers, was finally diagnosed with the disease Haemophagocytic lymphohistisocytosis or HLH at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in May 2010. She spent the next three months at GOSH undergoing the most gruelling treatment. She had countless operations, tests and procedures. She was given regular chemotherapy, some directly into the spine and a cocktail of other horrendous drugs to dampen down the disease. After five days of intensive chemo conditioning, on the day before Kiernan was born she had a bone marrow transplant but Esme couldn’t tolerate this and spent four days in Intensive Care. She was on maximum life support until she deteriorated so much that doctors said it was futile to continue. They turned off her life support in the early hours of 15th July 2010 with her mummy and daddy holding her hands reading her favourite book.

10 months after her death her parents discovered that Esme had had Leishmaniasis – a sandfly disease – and that this had probably caused secondary HLH. If they had discovered this at the time Esme would most probably be here with us today.

HLH isn’t cancer but it is treated like Leukaemia however the survival rates are much lower at around 50%. But unlike cancer, HLH is often referred to as an "orphan disease" meaning it strikes too few people to generate government-supported research. Research and treatment protocols are therefore funded and co-ordinated by charities. The Histiocytosis Research Trust [ www.hrtrust.org ] is a charity that is working hard to evolve understanding of the disease, improve treatment and ultimately get more children better and home with their families where they belong.

Esme’s parents saw her go through unimaginable torment, and they do not want any other children or parents to suffer in the same way.

To this end they have set themselves a fundraising target of $100,000 for the charity that is leading research into this condition, and this is why I am running the marathon, this September on what would have been Esme's third birthday.

If you want to know any more about Esme’s story, the disease, or the research foundation I am running for, then more information can be found here http://www.firstgiving.com/esmecarter

You may be aware that I have spent a fair amount of time in the last few years limping and/or crutches and I am not in the best physical condition.

This is going to hurt. A lot.

Details of the race can be found below, and the “Undulating/Hilly” profile scares the pants of me!!
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/viewevent.asp?sp=&v=2&EN=59570&ms=

Please dig deep, I need all your help to keep on running.

My gallery 1

My Team

Team photo
Running for Esme

My company

My charity

Histiocytosis Research Trust

Histiocytosis Research Trust

Charity Registration No. 1004546

The Histiocytosis Research Trust funds scientific research into uncovering the causes of Langerhan's Cell Histiocytosis and Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis as well as seeking to ensure early diagnosis, effective treatment and a cure. We also aim to support patients and their families.

Donations 85

Inmem.png

Sorry it's taken so long to get round to this. Impressive stuff and for a fantastic cause.

Donation by Jeremy Michael on 14/12/11

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

Well done Brian, sorry it's so late.

Donation by jason carter on 08/11/11

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

Donation by jason carter on 20/10/11

£2,500.00

+ £625.00 Gift Aid

Good work! (friend of JC)

Donation by Helen Drane on 13/10/11

£110.00

Well done Brian, a great acheivement. Hope there weren't too many blisters:-)

Donation by Teresa Chapman on 12/10/11

from a friend of jason C

Donation by alex sullivan on 01/10/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

windmill.png

Well done Brian!

Donation by Fiona, Richard, Zoe and Sophie on 29/09/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Hi Brian, Well done! Hope you're not still limping :)

Donation by Shilpa Patel on 28/09/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Donation by Andrew Crane on 27/09/11

£50.00

Donation by Becca Laban on 27/09/11

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

For Jason, Kelly and Esme. Well done to all

Donation by Patrick Ryan on 26/09/11

£30.00

+ £7.50 Gift Aid

shoe.png

Good work Brian

Donation by Anonymous on 25/09/11

£400.00

+ £100.00 Gift Aid

Well Done Brian

Donation by Mary Connolly on 22/09/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Brian!! well done mate. Better late than never but fantastic achievement and a great cause. Curry soon.

Donation by simon dawes on 20/09/11

Great effort Brian. Now you can pour yourself a nice cold beer. Love Ken, Kathy, Sinead and Cameron x

Donation by Ken Barclay on 20/09/11

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

Donation by Andrew Diamond on 20/09/11

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

Don't kill yourself; just do the best you can.

Donation by Stephen Cole on 19/09/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Well done Brian, now you can relax. I hope you're not in too much pain.

Donation by Linda O'Sullivan on 18/09/11

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

Good luck Brian you're amazing! H and j xxx

Donation by Helena Galilee on 17/09/11

£15.00

+ £3.75 Gift Aid

Run Forest Run… and next time take your mate Mr Alex Young! Gwion

Donation by Gwion Hackney on 17/09/11

£25.00

+ £6.25 Gift Aid

Will you be running the marathon wearing womens underwear, as you used to do in Ilford? Best of luck Derms, great cause.......hope the legs hold out

Donation by Brian Wallace on 16/09/11

£15.00

+ £3.75 Gift Aid

Good luck, Brian!

Donation by Ben Phillips on 16/09/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Good Luck Brian, All the best!

Donation by Maria Ferreira on 15/09/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Good Luck Brian, sure you will do it!

Donation by Phil McLoughlin on 15/09/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Good luck...Try not to do a Paula Radcliffe...

Donation by Paul Collinge on 15/09/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Donation summary

  • * Online donations£5,487.76
  • Offline donations£0.00
  • Text donations£0.00
  • Total raised£5,487.76
  • Gift Aid£1,249.44

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